The Alicorn Queen
by DiscordantPrincess
Summary: Disney's "The Lion King" with ponies. Enjoy!
1. Casting and the Circle of Life

**Hey, everypony! First off, I wanted to thank you all for your wonderful reviews and feedback of my first Disney/MLP:FIM crossover, "The Pink Pony Detective." It was a ton of fun to write! So I'm going to do another one for y'all: "The Alicorn Queen," the ponified version of "The Lion King." Hope you enjoy!**

**CAST:**

***Princess Mi Amore Cadenza/Cadance as Simba**

***Shining Armor as Nala**

***Princess Celestia as King Mufasa**

***Nightmare Moon as Scar**

***Discord as Shenzi**

***Gilda as Banzai**

***Random Diamond Dog as Ed**

***Bob the Tomato as Timon**

***Larry the Cucumber as Pumbaa**

***Zecora as Rafiki**

***Archibald Asparagus as Zazu**

***Twilight's Mom as Sarafina**

**OK, I know not a lot of y'all like ****Veggie Tales****…or at least not as much as I do…but I needed SOMEONE to play the side characters who could also be snacks, and ponies are vegetarians, so…you get where I'm going, right?**

**OK, story time:**

It was a sunny day in the kingdom of Equestria. In the capital city of Canterlot, ponies from all over the kingdom gathered outside the palace. They were awaiting the presentation of the newborn Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

Queen Celestia, a white alicorn with a multi-pastel colored mane and tail, light purple eyes and a cutie mark of the sun, stood at the balcony, smiling over her subjects.

"Everything is all set, Your Grace," Celestia's majordomo, an asparagus wearing a red bowtie and a monocle on his right eye, told the princess. "The entire KINGDOM must be here for the presentation!"

Celestia smiled as she looked at him. "Thank you, Archibald. Please go get Mi Amore Cadenza for me."

"Certainly, my Queen." Archibald left to get the infant princess.

Just then, Celestia saw a familiar face approach her; a zebra with blue eyes and a cutie mark of a spiral sun, wearing gold jewelry. This was Zecora, the shaman of Canterlot and the wisest being in Equestria. She came up to the princess and bowed. "Good morning, Celestia, oh Princess of the Sun. If ever there were a perfect day, this would be the one."

Celestia smiled and hugged the zebra. "Thank you so much for coming, my friend."

Just then, Archibald came back, carrying a tiny pink alicorn filly with a multi-colored mane and tail and purple eyes. Zecora smiled at the baby. "Mi Amore Cadenza is a beautiful little mare. I shall now baptize her with much care." With that, she took the baby from Archibald. First, she dipped her into a cauldron of water. Then, she sprinkled her with yellow dust. As she did, she said a blessing in Swahili. Then, she took the baby and gently lifted her over the balcony so the ponies below could see.

Everypony went insane as they saw the new princess. They cheered and clapped. As the sun shone on the princess, everypony bowed to their future ruler. It was truly a perfect day for Equestria.

Well, almost perfect.

**(singing) It's the ciiiiiiiiiiiircle of liiiiiiiiiiiiiiife! Sorry, couldn't resist! ;)**

**I know on the show, Celestia is Cadance's aunt, but in this story she's going to be her mother. Sorry. And as to who the father is...I have no idea, but he's dead now, so there you go. Sorry.**

**Next chapter, we meet Celestia's sister Nightmare Moon and learn her opinion on her new niece's birth. Hope to see you all there! Please R&R!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	2. A Jealous Nightmare

**Hellooooooooooo, Fanfiction nurses! I have here the next chapter of "The Alicorn Queen"...please read and review!**

After the ceremony had commenced, a black alicorn with a misty violet-blue mane and tail, turquoise eyes and a cutie mark of a crescent moon, wearing blue armor, was resting in the shadows, teasing a small pea that she had caught. This was Nightmare Moon, the younger sister of Celestia. She was depressed and bitter because Cadance's birth had messed up her chances at claiming the throne from her sister.

"Life isn't fair, is it? You see I…well I shall never be queen. And YOU shall never see the light of another day." She chuckled as she used her telekinesis to lift the pea to her mouth. "Adieu." She prepared to eat it…

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" a voice asked her. Nightmare groaned and turned to see Archibald glaring at her. "What do YOU want?"

"I'm here to announce that Queen Celestia is on her way here," Archibald responded. "So you'd BETTER have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning!"

As Nightmare was distracted, the pea broke out of her telekinetic hold and hopped away. "Oh now look, Archibald, you've made me lose my lunch," the alicorn feigned depression.

"HA! You'll lose MORE than that when Celestia is through with you," Archibald replied. "She's angrier than a honey badger with a bellyful of bees."

"Ooh, I quiver with FEAR!" Nightmare replied sarcastically. She crept up to the asparagus. "And seeing as you and I are alone…how about we do lunch?"

"Now, Nightmare, don't you look at me that way!" Archibald told her. "HELP!" He tried to get away, but Nightmare got ahold of him in her telekinesis. She brought him closer and bit onto his tip…

"NIGHTMARE!" Celestia yelled, coming onto the scene just in time. "Let him go."

"Perfect timing, Your Majesty," Archibald told the queen. Nightmare let go of his tip, now covered with saliva. Archibald grimaced as the slimy spit slid down his head.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my big sister, descended from on high to mingle with the common ponies," Nightmare responded snidely to her sister's arrival.

"I did not see you at Cadance's presentation this morning," Celestia told her sister gravely.

"Oh, was that TODAY?" Nightmare asked, pretending like she'd forgotten. "Oh, silly me, forgetting such an important day…must've slipped my mind."

"Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, Nightmare, as the queen's sister, YOU should have been FIRST in line!" Archibald confronted the alicorn, who snapped her teeth at him, making him yelp and jump back.

"Well, I WAS first in line," Nightmare responded. "Until the little hairball was born!"

"That hairball is my daughter, and your future queen!" Celestia reminded her sternly.

"Ooh, I shall have to go practice my bows, now won't I?" Nightmare asked snarkily. She turned away to walk off.

"Don't turn your back on me, Nightmare!" Celestia told her.

"Oh, no, Celestia…perhaps it is YOU who shouldn't turn her back on ME."

Celestia swooped over and got into the black alicorn's face. "Is that a CHALLENGE?"

"Come now, sister dear, you must learn to control that temper of yours," Nightmare told her. "I wouldn't DARE challenge you."

"Why not?" Archibald asked.

"Well, as far as brains go, I got the alicorn's share," Nightmare replied. "But when it comes to strength and magical abilities…I am afraid that I am but at the shallow end of the gene pool." She walked away, falling deeper into the shadows.

Archibald sighed as the night princess trotted off. "There's one in every family, my queen…actually, there are TWO in mine. And they never fail to ruin even the most special of occasions."

Celestia frowned. "What AM I going to DO with her?" she asked.

"She'd make a beautiful throw rug."

"Archibald!" Celestia playfully admonished her majordomo.

"No, seriously, that pristine black pelt, she'd look LOVELY in your throne room…you could even use her horn as a hat rack."

"You are HORRIBLE!"

"And just think…any time she got dirty, you could simply take her outside and beat her!"

Celestia laughed as they went back to the palace together. "I'm not going to turn my little sister into a throw rug…though I DO appreciate your creativity and your humor, my friend."

Archibald smirked. "It's what I do, Your Highness."

* * *

Later that night, in her little hut in the woods outside of Canterlot, Zecora was humming to herself as she mixed up some homemade paints. Once it was ready, she used the paints to paint a picture on the wall of her hut…a pink alicorn with a multi-colored mane and tail and purple eyes. The zebra smiled and chuckled to herself as she finished the painting.

"Cadance, my dear, you shall make us proud, with the blessings on you I have avowed."

**Ah, all is well...for now, that is. MWAHAHAHA!**

**I know what you're thinking...why is Luna in Nightmare Moon form here? Well, just as Scar was once known as Prince Taka, Nightmare Moon was once known as Princess Luna. Basically she's allowed to stay because she DIDN'T threaten to bring on eternal night, thus rendering the need to banish her to the moon useless. **

**And so begins a story full of Archie abuse...why are the best characters always the ones that are the most fun to mess with? **

**Hope you all enjoyed! Please R&R, and stay tuned for the next chapter, where we see more of young Cadance's life.**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	3. Morning in Canterlot

**Happy Valentine's Day, everypony! And here is my gift to you: a brand new chapter of "The Alicorn Queen!" Enjoy!**

Several years had passed since Cadance's presentation. The young princess had grown into a preteenager. She was now looking over the kingdom from her bedroom balcony. Her mother had yet to raise the sun. In fact, she had not gotten up at all yet. Cadance was going to fix that, however.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" she cried out as she ran down the hall to Celestia's bedchamber. She knocked on the door. "Mooooooooom! Mom, get up!"

"Mmm, few more minutes," Celestia groaned from the other side.

"No, Mom, you gotta get up!" Cadance argued. She kicked the door open. "C'mon, Mom! You promised!"

Celestia groaned and looked at her daughter, who was looking back at her with a rather peeved look. "All right, Cadance, all right, you win. I'm up."

"WOO-HOO!" Cadance cheered as she galloped out. Celestia yawned and sleepily followed her daughter out of the room.

Celestia led Cadance out onto the largest balcony in the palace. Once the two alicorns were outside, Celestia closed her eyes and concentrated. Her horn glowed with yellow magic. As it did, the sun began to rise as Cadance watched with awe.

"Look, Cadance," Celestia told her daughter. "Look upon Equestria. Everything that the light touches is our kingdom."

"WHOA."

"A ruler's time on the throne rises and sets like the sun," Celestia explained. "One day, Cadance, the sun shall set on my time here, and rise with you as the new queen of Equestria."

"And this'll ALL be mine?" Cadance asked, amazed.

"EVERYTHING."

"Everything the light touches…" Cadance remembered as she looked over the landscape. Then, something caught her eye; a dark deserted area. "What about that shadowy place over there?"

"That's beyond our borders," Celestia explained gravely. "You must never go there."

"But I thought that a queen could do anything she wants," Cadance protested.

"Well there's more to being queen than getting to do anything you want," Celestia replied.

Cadance's eyes widened. "There's MORE?"

"CADANCE!" Celestia replied playfully.

* * *

After the sun was up, the mother and daughter took a walk around the gardens of the palace as Celestia gave her more advice about being queen. "Nature maintains a certain balance. As queen, it is your job to help keep balance and to respect all animals and plants."

"But I thought that we ate plants?" Cadance asked.

"We do, but you see; when we die, our bodies decompose into the soil, and the plants live on the soil, so we are all connected, in the great Circle of Life."

Just then, Archibald came up to the two alicorns. "Good morning, my queen."

"Good morning, Archibald," Celestia greeted her majordomo.

"Requesting permission to present the morning report, Your Highness."

"Fire away."

"Well, the news from Fillydelphia is that the cream cheese business has hit a bit of a snag."

"Oh, really?"

Cadance got bored and decided to practice swooping onto a small lizard that she saw in the grass. Celestia noticed this. "What are you doing, dear?"

"Practicing my swooping," Cadance explained.

Celestia draped her wing over her daughter. "Let an old pro show you how it's done." She turned to the asparagus. "Archibald, could you please turn around?"

"Of course, Your Highness." Archibald obeyed as he continued with his morning report.

"Now be sure to move nice and swiftly," Celestia told Cadance.

"Right, right, nice and swiftly," Cadance agreed.

"What's going on back there?" Archibald asked.

"A swooping lesson," Celestia explained.

"Oh, very good, swooping…SWOOPING? Oh no, Your Majesty, you can't be SERIOUS! Oh, this is so humiliating!"

"Try not to make a sound," Celestia whispered.

"What are you telling her, Celestia?" Archibald demanded. He turned around to see that they had disappeared. "Celestia? Cadance?"

Suddenly, Cadance swooped over and knocked the asparagus down. Celestia laughed. "That's very good!" Cadance went back to be next to her mother as Archibald got up. Just then, a white pegasus in armor ran up to them and saluted the asparagus. "Archibald, sir, I have news from the outer flanks."

"Now, THIS time…" Celestia was telling Cadance.

"Your Highness!" Archibald interrupted frantically. "Diamond Dogs! On the outskirts of Canterlot!"

Celestia became serious. "Archibald, take Cadance back into the palace. I'll deal with this."

"Aw, but Mom, can't I come too?" Cadance asked.

"No, Cadance, this is too dangerous for you." Celestia galloped off.

"Aww, I never get to do anything!" Cadance whined as she went back to the palace.

"Oh, young mistress, one day you will be queen," Archibald told her. "And then you can chase those slobbery, mangy, stupid pooches to your heart's content."

* * *

Later that day, Nightmare was moping in the shadows outside the palace. Cadance ran up to her. "Hey, Auntie Nightmare! Guess what!"

"I DESPISE guessing games," Nightmare groaned.

"I'm gonna be queen of Equestria!" Cadance replied excitedly.

"Oh, JOY," Nightmare responded sarcastically.

"My mom just showed me the entire kingdom, and I'm going to rule it all someday!"

"Yes, well, forgive me for not leaping with joy," Nightmare sighed. "I have a bad back, you know."

"Say, Auntie Nightmare, when I'm queen, what'll that make YOU?" Cadance inquired.

"A draconequus' uncle."

Cadance giggled. "You're so weird!"

"You have NO idea." Nightmare sniffed. "So, your mother showed you the entire kingdom, did she?"

"Yup, everything!"

"She didn't show you what's beyond the northern borders, did she?" Nightmare asked.

Cadance frowned. "No. She said I'm not supposed to go there ever."

"And she's completely RIGHT! VERY dangerous. Only the bravest ponies dare even go NEAR there."

"Hey, I'm pretty brave!" Cadance replied. "What's over there?"

"I'm sorry, Cadance, I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Cadance, my dear, I'm only trying to protect my favorite niece." Nightmare brushed her mane over the young one's face.

"Auntie, I'm your ONLY niece," Cadance giggled.

"All the more reason for me to protect you," Nightmare explained. "An Ursa graveyard is no place for a princess." She gasped.

"A WHAT? COOL!"

"Oh dear me, I seem to have said too much," Nightmare feigned worry. "Oh well. I suppose you would've figured it out yourself, what with you being so clever and all. Just make me a promise, Cadance darling. Promise me that you'll NEVER visit that HORRIBLE place EVER!"

Cadance smiled slyly. "No problem."

"That's my good girl. Now go off and play. And remember, it's our little secret." Cadance nodded and trotted off as Nightmare watched, smiling evilly.

**Hmm, d'ya think that Nightmare was planning this whole thing? Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuun!**

**Hee hee, apparently Fillydelphia makes cream cheese just like Philadelphia does! Yeah, sorry about that bout of lameness, I can't come up with all those puns like in the original!**

**OK, thus far I am totally loving Queen Celestia...she's so wise and caring, it's gonna suck when I have to kill her! But the story must go on. (evil laughter)**

**Next chapter, Cadance runs into her old friend Shining Armor, and the two decide to pay a visit to the Ursa graveyard. Stay tuned! And as always, please R&R!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	4. The Ursa Graveyard

**Hey, everypony! Guess what I've got for you all...a brand new chapter of "The Alicorn Queen!" Enjoy!**

Cadance ran off to the house of the Sparkle family. There, she was greeted by her best friend Shining Armor, a white unicorn with a mane and tail of different shades of blue, blue eyes and a cutie mark of a shield with a sparkle on it. "Hi, Cadance!"

"Hey, Shining! Come on, I want to show you this really cool place that my aunt told me about!"

"What is it? It's no place dumb, is it?"

"No, no, it's REALLY cool!"

"So where IS this really cool place?" Shining's mother, a white unicorn with a purple and white striped mane and tail, blue eyes and a cutie mark of three purple starts asked.

"Oh…" Cadance tried to think of something. "It's, uh…around Crystal Pond."

"Crystal Pond?" Shining repeated. "What in the hoof is so cool about Crystal Pond?"

"I'll SHOW you when we GET there," Cadance replied quietly.

"OH…" Shining got Cadance's secret message. "Hey, Mom, can I go with Cadance? Please?"

"Have you asked YOUR mother for permission, Cadance?" Mrs. Sparkle asked.

"Yes ma'am, Mrs. Sparkle. She said I could go…but only if Archibald goes with us."

"Sounds safe to me. All right, Shining, you may go."

The two young ponies cheered. "Me too! Me too!" came a youthful voice. The ponies turned to see Twilight, Shining's younger sister, a purple unicorn with a dark blue mane and tail with pink and purple streaks, purple eyes and a cutie mark of magic sparkles. "I wanna go, too! Please, Mom, can I go? Please?"

"Twilight, sweetie, you have math lessons today, remember?" Mrs. Sparkle reminded her daughter.

"Oh, right." Twilight sighed disappointedly. "Then can I go with them next time?"

Mrs. Sparkle laughed. "OK, Twilight, you can go with your brother next time."

"YAY!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Cadance and Shining were walking together, following Archibald. "Step lively now, you two. The sooner we get to Crystal Pond, the sooner we can go back."

"So where are we REALLY going?" Shining asked his companion quietly.

"An Ursa graveyard," Cadance whispered.

"NO WAY! THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!" Shining yelped.

"Shh!" Cadance shushed him, putting her hoof over his mouth. "Not so loud. Archibald will hear you."

"Oh, right," Shining agreed in a hushed tone. "So how are we going to ditch the green bean?"

"Well…" Cadance and Shining whispered a plan to one another. Archibald turned around to see the young ponies. "Oh, just look at you two…little seeds of romance blossoming in Canterlot. Your parents will be thrilled, what with you being betrothed and all."

"Be-WHAT?" Cadance asked.

"Betrothed. You know, intended. Affianced."

The ponies looked up at the asparagus with confusion. "What does that mean in English?" Shining asked.

"It means that when you grow up, you two are going to get married."

"WHAT?" both ponies asked hysterically.

"No way!" Cadance replied.

"Ew, gross!" Shining shuddered.

"I can't marry Shining, he's my friend!" Cadance refused.

"Yeah, it would be too weird!" Shining agreed. "I mean, Cadance wrestles better than most of my colt friends, I can't marry HER!"

"Well, sorry to shock you two turtledoves, but you have no choice," Archibald replied. "It is customary for the next in line for the throne to marry his or her closest foalhood friend of the opposite gender. It's a tradition that has gone on for generations, and it must NEVER be broken."

"Well, when I'm the queen, that'll be the first thing to go," Cadance playfully decalred.

"Not as long as I'M around, it shan't be," Archibald responded.

"Well in that case, you're fired."

"Nice try, missy, but only the QUEEN can fire me."

"Well, Cadance is the future queen," Shining reminded him.

"That's right…so you gotta do everything I tell you to do."

"Not yet I don't," Archibald bristled. "And I must say, with an attitude like THAT, I'm afraid that you are shaping up to be a rather pathetic queen indeed."

Cadance snorted. "Not the way I see it." She flew up to a tree branch. "When I'm queen, I'm gonna be the mane event! Nopony before me will even come CLOSE to how awesome I am!"

"You've got a rather long way to go, young mistress, I must warn you," Archibald told the alicorn as she landed back on the ground.

"Nopony will be able to tell me what to do," Cadance continued.

"You'll be free to do what you want, whenever you want to do it," Shining agreed. They galloped off together, leaving Archibald in the dust.

"Cadance! Shining Armor!" the asparagus tried to run after them, calling to them. Finally, he groaned. "I give up! If this is where Equestria's future is headed, I might as well leave and go back to Veggitopia. That filly is too out of hand…or at least she WOULD be, if I had hands."

* * *

Cadance and Shining laughed as they slowed down. "Sweet, it worked!" Cadance cheered as she looked back. "We lost the fuddy-duddy! I am a genius."

"Hey, Princess Genius, it was MY plan," Shining reminded her crossly.

"Yeah, but I pulled it off," Cadance argued.

"With MY help, you did."

"Oh yeah?" The two started wrestling for a while, but eventually Shining got a hold of Cadance and knocked her to the ground, pressing his body against hers. "HA! I pinned ya!"

"Hey, I'm a princess! You gotta let me win!" Cadance chastised him.

"Shining Armor don't let NOpony win, princess or not," Shining replied.

"Well at LEAST let me back up!" Shining got off of Cadance, who tackled him, causing them both to roll down a nearby hill. Shining landed back on top of Cadance. "Pinned ya again!"

Suddenly, a nearby geyser went off. The two ponies looked around to see a desolate area, with huge bones strewn everywhere. "I think this is it," Cadance whispered. They walked together to see tons of skeletons littering the area. "WHOA!"

"This is so creepy!" Shining shivered.

"I know," Cadance agreed. She smiled. "Isn't it AWESOME?"

Shining chuckled. "We could get into a whole heap of trouble here."

"Yeah, we could." The two laughed as they approached a gigantic bear skull. "Hey, I wonder if its brains are still in there?" Shining asked.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Cadance answered. "C'mon, let's go in there and check it out."

"WRONG answer," a voice told them. They turned to see Archibald approaching them and groaned. "The only "checking out" you two shall do is to check out of this wasteland! We are WAY beyond the boundaries of Equestria."

Cadance giggled. "Oh look, Shining, the string bean is scared."

"That's MR. String Bean to YOU, missy," Archibald told her. "And right now, we are all in VERY real danger."

Cadance snorted as she approached the bear skull again. "Danger? HA! I trot on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. HA HA HA HA!"

Just then, there was a loud bout of laughter from inside the skull. Cadance yelped and ran to hide behind Shining as three odd creatures; a draconequus, a griffon and a Diamond Dog, crawled out of the skull.

"Well, well, well," the draconequus spoke up, circling around the trio. "Now what do we have here, Gilda?"

"I dunno, Discord," the griffon responded. She turned to the Diamond Dog. "What do YOU think, Ed?" The Diamond Dog simply laughed crazily. "Yeah, that's what I thought too…a trio of trespassers."

"And quite by mistake, I assure you," Archibald spoke up, shielding the two ponies from the circling predators. "You see, we were just on our way to…" He was interrupted by Discord putting an eagle finger over his mouth.

"Wait a minute, I know who you are. You're Celestia's favorite little stooge."

Archibald moved away from Discord, freeing his mouth. "I, SIR, am Queen Celestia's majordomo!"

"So that would make you…" Gilda confronted the ponies.

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, your future queen!" Cadance introduced herself boldly.

"Oh, our future queen, how charming," Discord responded sarcastically. "If I had known you were coming, Your Highness, I would've baked you a cake." He snapped his fingers and made a cake appear above Cadance's head. The cake then dropped onto her, covering her in cake and frosting.

"Just so you know, Princess, my gang and I are none too keen on little ponies like you stepping into OUR territory." He made a pony skull appear in his lion paw, making the ponies gulp. "Just for future references…assuming we let you leave here ALIVE." He crushed the skull in his paw.

"You can't do anything to me!" Cadance replied. She turned to face Ed. "Especially YOU, you stupid Diamond Dog! Archibald told me about how you're all a bunch of slobbery, mangy, stupid pooches!"

Archibald grinned and chuckled nervously. "Cadance, dear, let's NOT provoke the dangerous predators whose land we have intruded on, all right? Well now, if you all will excuse us, it's very late, and it's time we go back to Canterlot…"

Discord flashed in front of them. "What's the hurry? We'd LOVE for you to stick around for dinner."

"Yeah, I'm sure we can…PONY up some grub," Gilda agreed with a sick laugh.

"Ooh, I got a good one," Discord interjected. "Yes, I'd like to order a FILLY cheesesteak and a COLT-a Cola." That got both him and Gilda laughing until they noticed that Ed was making grunting noises and pointing in another direction.

"Hey, boss? Did we order this dinner to go?" Gilda asked.

"No, why?"

"Because THERE IT GOES!" Gilda yelled, pointing to the ponies and asparagus running away. They chased after them. As they ran, Archibald tripped over a bone and was caught. The ponies didn't notice this and kept running until they were out of breath. "Did we lose them?" Shining asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Cadance responded. Then, she gasped. "Where's Archibald?"

* * *

"Well, Mr. Majordomo, you've got an appointment with the Veggie Boiler," Gilda to the screaming asparagus as she shoved him into an open geyser.

"Oh no! Not the Veggie Boiler!" The geyser set off, shooting Archibald into the sky and off into the distance as the three thugs laughed.

"Hey!" Cadance yelled at them. "Why don't you pick on someone who actually HAS limbs?"

"Like…YOU?" Discord asked.

"Oh crud." The thugs started to chase the two young ponies off over the Ursa skeletons until finally, they tried to climb up a spine and fell down into a ribcage, trapping them…just as the thugs closed in.

"Heeeeere, pony, pony, pony…" Gilda called to them tauntingly. The ponies shivered and huddled together, awaiting their fate…

Suddenly, there was a flash of yellow light. An energy beam shot the three thugs down. Celestia swooped down and started bucking the thugs as Archibald came up to the ribcage and freed the young ponies. "Are you both all right?" he asked. They nodded and hugged him.

As they watched, Celestia finished her beat down of the thugs. "If you EVER come near my daughter AGAIN…" she threatened them.

"OH, is this YOUR daughter?" Discord asked, feigning cluelessness. "Did YOU know that, Gilda?"

"ME? No, no I didn't know that at ALL. Did YOU?"

"No, of COURSE not!" They both turned to Ed. "ED?" Ed stupidly nodded his head. Discord grinned nervously. "Heh heh…buh-bye!" The thugs all ran off as fast as they could.

Cadance sheepishly walked up to her mother once they were gone. "Mom, I…"

"You deliberately disobeyed me," Celestia interrupted her crossly.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Let's go home." Celestia led the two guilty foals off, as Nightmare watched from the cliffs above, looking disappointed.

**Uh-oh, Cadance and Shining are in DEEP horse apples now! **

**Yay, little Twilight! She's so darn cute! And don't worry, she'll be playing a bigger part later on in the story, so it's not just a pointless cameo.**

**Yes, I know I just skipped over "I Just Can't Wait to be King" all together...you're not supposed to put paraphrased song lyrics here, plus I doubt that I could come up with a clever enough version for Cadance. **

**Next chapter, we see the aftermath of the little showdown in the Ursa graveyard, from both the good guys and the bad guys. Stay tuned!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	5. Be Prepared

**_Hola, mis amigos_****! I have here the new chapter of "The Alicorn Queen." Please enjoy!**

The three ponies and asparagus walked in silence all the way from the Ursa graveyard to the outskirts of the Canterlot palace in silence. Celestia was still cross and disappointed as she lowered the sun and raised the moon, and the rest were all a bit nervous and saddened, as well as Cadance's bout of guilt.

Suddenly, Celestia barked her majordomo's name. "ARCHIBALD!"

Archibald went up to the queen. "Y-Yes, my queen?"

"Take Shining Armor home. I need to have a SERIOUS talk with my daughter." Cadance immediately flattened herself onto the ground, feeling small.

Archibald approached the young ponies. "Come along, Shining. Good luck, Cadance." The two males left together, Cadance feeling alone and scared.

"MI AMORE CADENZA!" Celestia called for her daughter sternly. Cadance felt her entire body shaking with fear as she slowly approached her mother and stood by her side, expecting a harsh reprimand, maybe even a smack or two.

"Cadance, I am VERY disappointed in you," Celestia scolded.

"I know."

"You could have been KILLED! You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse, you put Shining Armor in danger! A good queen does not put the ones she cares about in danger."

Cadance began to cry. "I…I'm sorry. I was just trying to be brave like you."

"I'm only brave when I have to be, Cadance," Celestia told her. "And being brave doesn't mean you go out of your way to look for trouble."

"But, you aren't afraid of ANYTHING," Cadance protested.

"I was today," Celestia replied. "I was afraid that I might lose you."

"Oh…so I guess that even queens get scared, don't they?"

"They do indeed," Celestia agreed with a smile and a nod.

Cadance smiled. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"I think Discord and his gang were even MORE scared!"

Celestia chuckled. "Because nopony messes with your mom!" She tackled the young alicorn and gave her a noogie. The two started rolling around and laughing together, all anger and fear dissipated from their souls.

After their playful tussle, Cadance turned to her mother. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, Cadance?"

"We're BFFs, right?"

Celestia smiled. "Right."

"And we'll always be together, right?"

Upon that, Celestia became serious. "Cadance, I want to share with you something that my mother told me when I was your age." She looked up at the dark sky. "Look, Cadance. Look up at the stars. The great kings and queens of the past are up there, looking down on us from those stars."

"They ARE?" Cadance asked in amazement. "Really?"

"Yes, Cadance. So just remember, whenever you are feeling lonely, to look up to the stars. Those kings and queens will always be there watching over you and protecting you…and so will I."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a geyser field near the Ursa graveyard, Gilda was groaning as she stretched herself out. "Urgh, stupid Celestia. My wings are gonna be sore for a week!" Ed began to giggle hysterically. "It's NOT funny, Ed!" The Diamond Dog just cackled. "Shut up, dweeb!" When he wouldn't, the young griffon screeched like an eagle and pounced onto him, knocking him over, and began wrestling with him.

Discord groaned as he watched his two minions fight. "Would you both cut it out?"

"Hey, HE started it!" Gilda blamed, pointing to Ed, who was now chewing on his own hind leg.

"Ugh, just look at you two," Discord sighed. "Pathetic, weak, wrathful…no wonder we're starving out here in the middle of nowhere instead of living in society with all those pretty, preppy ponies."

"Man, I HATE ponies!" Gilda fumed.

"I know, they're so pushy."

"And lame."

"And bossy."

"And boy, are they…"

"UGLY!" both the draconequus and the griffon finished in unison, making them both laugh.

"Oh come now, you two, ponies cannot be ALL bad," a familiar voice cooed. They looked up to see Nightmare perched on a cliff above them.

"Oh, Nightmare, thank goodness it's only you," Discord replied. "We were afraid it'd be somepony IMPORTANT…like Celestia."

Nightmare bristled upon hearing her sister's name. "Indeed."

"Now THAT is power," Discord went on. "I HEAR that name, I just SHUDDER."

"Celestia," Gilda spoke up playfully. The draconequus shuddered. "Do it again."

"Celestia. Celestia, Celestia, Celestia!"

Nightmare sighed as she massaged her forehead with her hoof. "I'm SURROUNDED by idiots."

"Well, of course we don't mean YOU when we dis ponies, Nightmare," Gilda reassured the black alicorn. "I mean, you're one of us. You're our pal."

"CHARMED."

"Ooh, I like that," Discord commented. "She's not a queen, but she's still VERY proper."

"Hey, uh, Nightmare, you bring us any grub, buddy, pal, didja?" Gilda asked.

Nightmare sneered as she levitated a dead buffalo over them, making them drool. "I don't know if you all really deserve this. I practically gift wrapped Cadance and her little friend for you, and you couldn't even dispose of THEM." She sighed as she dropped the buffalo carcass to the trio, who started attacking it and ripping chunks of flesh off of its bones.

"Well y'know, it's not like they were exactly UNPROTECTED there, Nightmare babe," Discord reminded the alicorn between mouthfuls of buffalo meat.

"Yeah, I mean, what're we supposed to do?" Gilda asked. "Kill Celestia?"

Nightmare smiled wickedly. "PRECISELY." She swooped down to stand next to them. "Now I know that none of you is exactly the BRIGHTEST star in the sky, but I have a plan that even YOU chowder heads couldn't louse up TOO badly. So I suggest that you all be prepared!"

"No problem, boss, we'll be prepared," Gilda replied. She paused. "What exactly are we being prepared for?"

"For the death of the queen!"

"Why? Is she sick or something?" Gilda asked.

"No, you foal, we're going to KILL her," Nightmare explained. "And Cadance, too."

"That's a GREAT idea," Discord replied. "I mean, who really needs a queen, anyway?"

"IMBECILE! There will BE a queen!" Nightmare exploded. "I will be queen! Pledge your allegiance to ME, and you shall never go hungry again!"

"Well, you got MY vote," Gilda decided. "What do YOU say, Discord?"

"I say…LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!" Discord replied.

"That's right," Nightmare replied as she soared up to the sky, her silhouette forming on the moon. "Stick with me, and you'll all be greatly rewarded! I shall see to it that I am never forgotten! NOPONY WILL EVER FORGET NIGHTMARE MOON!" She cackled violently.

**DANG, Nightmare is one seriously scary mother bucker, ain't she? (shudders) And it sucks that I can't use the lyrics to "Be Prepared" here...it's such a great song! It's probably my third favorite villain song of all time, after "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" (which I love for obvious Ratigan and Vincent Price related reasons) and "Poor Unfortunate Souls." **

**Aww, Celestia really is the best mom in all of Equestria, isn't she? Makes sense, seeing as Mufasa is the best dad in cartoon history IMO. And I just LOVE that scene with him and Simba under the stars...so sweet! **

**Next chapter is probably the biggest tear jerker I've ever written, inspried by the scene that made me cry the most when I was a child...and still does!**


	6. The Death of the Queen

**(sniff) Well, I've done it. I've just written the saddest part of the story. Read on, please.**

The next day, Nightmare was leading Cadance into a rocky crevice outside of Canterlot. They walked up to a large rock. "Now wait here, dear. Your mother has a marvelous surprise for you."

"Really?" Cadance asked. "What is it? What is it?"

"Well, if I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?" Nightmare reminded her.

"If you tell me, I'll still ACT surprised!" Cadance promised.

Nightmare chuckled. "You are such a naughty little filly!"

"C'mon, Auntie Nightmare, please tell me?" Cadance pleaded.

"No no no no no, this is just for you and your mommy. You know, a sort of mother daughter…thing." Nightmare smiled. "Well, I'd better go get her." She started off.

"I'll go with you!" Cadance offered, following her.

"NO!" Nightmare yelled. Then, she laughed and calmed down. "No. Just sit here on this rock and wait." Cadance obeyed. "We don't want you to get into another nasty mess like you did yesterday with Discord and his crew, now do we?"

Cadance's heart sank a little. "You know about that?"

"Cadance, darling, EVERPONY knows about that."

"They DO?"

"Oh, yes. Lucky Mommy was there to save you, eh? I'll be right back with her." Nightmare walked away from her unsuspecting niece. "Why don't you practice your magic spells while I'm gone?"

"Hey, Auntie Nightmare?" Cadance called after her aunt. "Will I like this surprise?"

"Cadance my dear, it is to DIE for!" Nightmare responded. She smirked evilly as she flew off.

* * *

Right above the crevice, on a flat grassland, a herd of buffalo was resting and grazing. A few yards away, in a small rock cave, Discord and his gang were waiting silently for Nightmare to give them the signal to spook the buffalo into stampeding.

_**Grrrrrr**_. Discord's stomach growled impatiently. "Shut up!" he barked at it, as if it could understand what he was saying.

"Grr, I can't wait any longer, boss!" Gilda groaned. "I'm starving! I GOTTA HAVE A BUFFALO!" She tried to fly to the herd, but Discord grabbed her tail and held her back. "Stay put!"

"Aww, c'mon, can't I just pick off that little one over there?" Gilda pleaded, pointing to a young buffalo cow wearing a feather headdress.

"NO!" Discord refused. "We don't make a move until we get the signal from Nightmare." Just then, the black alicorn perched onto a nearby rock and nodded. "There she is. Let's go."

* * *

Meanwhile, Cadance was practicing casting spells while sitting on the rock. At one point, she lowered her head, took a deep breath, and concentrated, light blue energy forming around her horn. She blasted at a nearby rock, making it explode in the process. She ducked and covered her head as pieces of rubble flew throughout the area. "OK, not what I was going for."

Just then, Cadance felt the earth underneath her shaking, as if an earthquake was starting up. Then, she peered up to see the buffalo herd stampeding down from the grassland above. The noise she made when she exploded the rock must have startled the buffalo and made them stampede.

And now they were heading right for her!

Cadance screamed as she ran as fast as she could to get away from the stampeding buffalo. She tried to open her wings and fly off, but the buffalo caught up to her too fast. She had to flatten her wings back against her side so as not to get them crushed. She kept running…unaware of the draconequus, griffon and Diamond Dog mingled into the herd, chasing them off by snapping their jaws at them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Celestia was making her usual rounds around the city of Canterlot. She and Archibald were on the outskirts of town.

"Oh look, Your Highness, the buffalo herd is on the move," Archibald noticed.

"At this time of day?" Celestia asked. "That's odd."

Just then, Nightmare ran up to them, feigning panic and concern. "Celestia! The buffalo…stampede…in the crevice…Cadance is down there!"

Celestia gasped. "Cadance!"

* * *

Cadance kept running and didn't slow down. Just then, she saw a large brittle tree that she could get away from the herd in. She galloped over to it and climbed it, getting away from the pounding hooves of the buffalo.

Celestia and Nightmare flew from the city to the crevice. Meanwhile, Archibald was hurrying on the ground. He spotted the young alicorn on the tree as he reached a cliff. "Cadance!" he called to her.

Cadance looked up and saw the asparagus. "Archibald! Please, help me!"

"Your mother is on her way! Hold on!"

"Hurry!"

Celestia and Nightmare landed on the cliff, looking panickedly through the herd. "Archibald, can you see my daughter?" Celestia asked.

"She's over there, in that tree!" Archibald answered. Celestia looked to see where Cadance was perched. "Hold on, Cadance!" She swooped down to the crevice.

As Celestia approached, one of the buffalo mindlessly bumped into the tree, breaking it. Cadance went flying into the air, screaming. As she did, Celestia caught her on her back. But then, they were both knocked down by a low-hanging rock formation, landing in the herd.

"Oh, no, Nightmare, this is horrible!" Archibald fretted. "What do we do? WHAT DO WE DO?" Then, he got an idea. "I…I know! I'll go back to get help! Somepony in Canterlot must be able to help!" POW! Nightmare bucked the asparagus into a nearby rock, smacking his head against it and knocking him out.

* * *

Celestia galloped through the buffalo herd, still carrying Cadance on her back. She spotted a safe area and set her daughter down on it…only to be knocked back into the buffalo mass and disappear. "MOM!" Cadance looked frantically through the buffalo for her mother.

Suddenly, Celestia jumped out of the herd and started to climb up a steep rock wall. Her body was battered and bruised, and both of her wings were broken so she couldn't fly. Cadance ran up to a higher platform so she could try and help her mother.

Celestia began to slide backward. She saw Nightmare standing above her, watching. "Nightmare!" she called to her. "Little sister! Please, little sister, help me!"

Nightmare hesitated, then grabbed ahold of Celestia's hooves. Celestia smiled, thinking that Nightmare was helping her. But then, Nightmare grinned wickedly. "Long live the queen," she whispered. Celestia's eyes widened in horror as she learned too late of her sister's wickedness. Nightmare pushed her off of the cliff, and Celestia plummeted, screaming, to her doom.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cadance shrieked as she watched her mother. Once the buffalo had moved on, she ran back down to the crevice to find her. She coughed from the raised dust. "Mom! Mom, where are you?" She heard hoof beats and got excited. "Mom?"

It was the young buffalo cow, running off to find her herd again. The cow ran past a limp white mass lying on the ground. Cadance gasped. "No!" She galloped up to see…and felt her heart sink when she got there.

There, lying on the ground, was her mother. Her entire body was battered and torn. Her mane and tail's colors had faded. Her eyes were shut. Blood poured from various wounds on her body. "Mom!" Cadance pleaded with her mother as she tried to shake her awake. "Mom, come on! Please, Mom, you have to get up, you just have to! We have to go home!" But Celestia didn't respond. She couldn't respond. She was gone.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" Cadance yelled. "Somepony! Anypony! Help!" The only one answering her back was her echo. Cadance began to cry. She lay herself down next to her mother's body and waited.

Just then, she heard hoof steps. She turned to see Nightmare approaching them. "Cadance! What have you done?"

"T-There was a buffalo stampede…Mom saved me…it was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen!" Cadance replied hysterically.

"Shh, of course you didn't, my love," Nightmare responded quietly. She hugged her. "Nopony ever MEANS for these things to happen. But the queen IS dead, and if it weren't for you, she'd still be alive." She gasped. "What will Shining Armor think? And little Twilight?"

Cadance panicked. "Wh-What should I do?"

"Run," Nightmare replied. "Run, Cadance. Run far away, and never return." Cadance flinched, but nodded. She ran off into the distance. Nightmare smirked as she watched the young one run, then saw Discord and his gang approach her.

"Kill her."

**Oh poor Cadance! I just want to hug her so much! NIGHTMARE, YOU BITCH! HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING TO YOUR OWN NIECE?**

**Next chapter, Nightmare tells the ponies of Canterlot about the incident, and Cadance meets Bob and Larry. It shall be MUCH happier, I promise!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	7. Hakuna Matata

**Hey, guys! Well, things are still a little sad in this chap, but nowhere near as sad as last chap, and they never will get that sad again, I promise!**

Cadance ran as fast as she could through the crevice. As she made it to the edge, she heard noises from behind her. She turned around, hoping that maybe it was Nightmare, coming to retrieve her, to tell her that it was all right and that she didn't have to leave. However, it was Discord and his gang, coming to catch her and rip her apart limb from limb. The young alicorn screamed and ran up the side of the crevice, with the three thugs right on her tail.

Cadance kept running as fast as her legs could carry her, trying to get away from the trio of carnivores chasing her. Then, she came to a cliff's edge. Underneath where she was standing was a large field of thorns. She hesitated for a moment, then looked behind her at her pursuers. She took a deep breath and dove off the cliff, landing in the thorn field. She lowered herself and crawled through the thorns to get to safety, trying to avoid being pricked or stuck by any of the sharp prickles.

As the alicorn crawled away, Gilda noticed that her crew was getting close to the edge. "WHOA!" she cried out. She slowed down and stopped right on the edge. The griffon heaved a sigh…only to be knocked into by Discord and Ed, pushing her off of the edge into the thorns. She screeched in pain and jumped out of the thorns as the two males laughed.

Just then, Discord noticed Cadance running off into the desert. "Hey! There she goes! There she goes!"

Gilda started pulling thorns out of her body. "So go get her!"

"Uh-uh. There is NO way I'm going in there," Discord replied. "I am NOT coming out looking like YOU, Cactus Butt!"

Ed grinned as he watched Gilda pull out thorns. The griffon glared at the Diamond Dog and threw a handful into his nose. "You heard Nightmare. We gotta finish the job and kill the little brat!"

"Oh, please, she's as good as dead out there anyway," Discord responded. "Besides, if she ever DOES come back, THEN we'll kill her."

"Sounds good to me," Gilda agreed. She called out to Cadance, "YOU HEAR THAT? IF YOU EVER COME BACK, WE'LL KILL YA!" The villains' cackling could be heard across the field as Cadance ran, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

Later that night, Nightmare had the ponies of Canterlot gathered in the great hall of the palace and was telling them about the incident with the buffalo. Having been told that Cadance was dead as well, she announced the deaths of both the queen and the princess.

"Celestia's death was a tragedy on its own," the black alicorn spoke. "But to lose young Cadance, who had barely had a chance to live her life…that is a deep, horrifying loss."

Twilight began to cry. "Oh, Cadance…" Shining held onto her as she sobbed. "Oh, Twilie, I know. I'm going to miss her, too." The young white unicorn began to cry as well.

"So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne," Nightmare sighed, pretending to be heartbroken at the loss of her family. "But in the ashes of our heartbreak, a new hope shall arise. We shall be made strong, as pony and carnivore learn to live side by side in a new, glorious future!" As she spoke, Discord and his gang entered the hall, scaring the ponies.

Over by the door of the hall, Zecora hung her head in sadness. Tears streamed from her eyes as she made her way back to her hut. Once home, she sadly looked at the portrait of Cadance she had painted. She ran her hoof over the portrait, smearing it.

* * *

Meanwhile, the exhausted Cadance had finally passed out under the dry, blazing sun in the desert. Vultures circled overhead. One by one, they began to descend on the half-dead alicorn, preparing to pick her flesh off of her bones…

"YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" A loud cry rang out as a tomato and a cucumber, dressed in football helmets and carrying baseball bats, ran up to the scene. They started swinging at the vultures, chasing them off. "Get out! Get out! Get outta here!" the tomato yelled at the birds as they flew away.

"Boy oh boy, I sure do love playing Bowling for Buzzards!" the cucumber voiced his enthusiasm.

"I know, it really gets the blood flowing," the tomato agreed. The two veggies took off their gear.

The cucumber went over to inspect Cadance. "Uh-oh. Hey, Bob? You might wanna take a look. I think it's still alive!"

"Yeesh, those buzzards just won't wait, will they?" Bob groaned. "OK, let's see what we've got here." He looked and screamed. "Oh my gosh! A pony! C'mon, Larry, run! We gotta get outta here!"

"Aw, c'mon, Bob, it's just a LITTLE pony," Larry replied. He looked at Cadance again. "Aww, look at her! She's so cute, and she's all alone! Can we keep her?"

"Are you INSANE, Larry? This is a PONY we're talking about! Ponies eat guys like us for breakfast…LITERALLY!"

"But she's so little!"

"Well, she's going to get bigger!"

"Maybe she could be on our side?"

Bob laughed. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Then, he thought about it. "Hmm, maybe not. Y'know, having a pony around for protection from other herbivores…that might not be such a bad idea."

"So does this mean we're gonna keep her?" Larry asked.

"Yes, Larry, it means we're gonna keep her," Bob confirmed.

"YAY!" Larry lifted the pony.

"Y'know, Lar, you actually come up with some pretty good ideas every once in a while." Bob sighed. "Boy, it's hot out. What say we go find ourselves some shade?"

* * *

The two veggies took Cadance into a shady area, where they revived her with some water to the face. "Mmm, what?"

"Are you OK, sweetie?" Bob asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Cadance replied.

"You almost died out there," Larry explained. "Good thing we were here."

"Thanks." Cadance sadly walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Bob asked.

"Nowhere."

Bob frowned as he watched the alicorn walk away. "Gee, she looks blue."

"What're you talking about, Bob? She's not blue, she's pink!"

"I MEAN, she's depressed."

"OH!" They went up to Cadance. "Where're you from?" Larry asked.

"Who cares? I can never go back," Cadance sighed sadly.

"Why? What'd ya do?"

"Something horrible, but I don't want to talk about it."

"Aww, is there anything we can do to help?"

"Not unless you can change the past."

"Y'know, in times like these, my buddy Bob here says, "you've gotta put your behind in your past.""

"Larry, that's not it at all!" Bob replied. He faced Cadance. "Sorry, my friend is a little on the confused side. The saying IS, "you've gotta put your past behind you." When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world."

"That's not what I was taught at all," Cadance replied.

"Then I think you need a new lesson," Bob decided. "Repeat after me: hakuna matata."

"Say what?"

"Hakuna matata," Larry repeated. "It means no worries. It's our motto."

"What's a motto?" Cadance asked.

"Nothin', thanks," Larry replied. "What's a motto with you?" He laughed. Bob glared at him. "Well anyway, these two words can solve all your problems."

"That's right," Bob agreed. "Take us, for example. We were kicked out of our homeland of Veggitopia for slacking off, but did we let that bother us? Nope. We just said "hakuna matata" and moved on with our lives as outcasts. And now, so can you…" He paused. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Cadance."

"Cadance, what a pretty name. Well come on, Cadance, we want to show you something." The two veggies led her to a lush tropical oasis. "Welcome to our humble home."

"Wow, you live here?" Cadance asked.

"We live wherever we want," Larry explained. "That's the beauty of the outcast life…no one holding you back, not bein' tied down to nothin'…you can go wherever you want, do whatever you like."

"Sounds good to me." Cadance smiled. "I think I'm going to like the hakuna matata life."

**Ah, the hakuna matata life. Sounds pretty sweet, huh? But things are not all perfect in that lifestyle, as Cadance shall find out.**

**Next chapter, we learn how Canterlot is doing with Nightmare as queen. Methinks not so splendidly, eh?**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	8. The Madness of Queen Nightmare

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the delay! I've got a brand new chapter for you! Here it is!**

A few years had passed. Canterlot was going to shambles. Discord and his gang had made the ponies overharvest and overgraze the city's food supplies. Water was running low. The ponies were starving. Everything had fallen into chaos.

Meanwhile, in the castle, Nightmare was lounging in her throne room. Archibald was chained to the wall nearby. He was singing the song "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen."

"Oh, Archibald, really, you must lighten up," Nightmare told the asparagus, shooting a bolt of magic at him, barely missing him. "Sing something with a little more bounce to it." Archibald sighed and started singing "It's a Small World After All." "No! No! ANYthing but THAT!" The asparagus then started singing "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." After a few bars, Nightmare started singing along.

"Oh, I never would have had to do anything this degrading for Celestia," Archibald groaned to himself.

"WHAT was that you said?" Nightmare asked, approaching the asparagus.

"N-Nothing."

"You know the law…do not EVER, EVER say that name in my presence! I am the queen!"

Archibald shivered. "Y-Yes, Your Highness, you are the queen. I was merely mentioning it as a…comparison of your managerial approaches."

Just then, there was a call of "Hey, Nightmare!" Nightmare sighed. "What do you want NOW, Gilda?"

"Me and the guys got a horn to pick with you!" the griffon told the alicorn.

"I'LL handle this, Gilda," Discord told his feisty assistant. "Look, Nightmare, there's no food and no water."

"Yeah, it's dinner time, and we ain't got no stinking entrees!" Gilda agreed.

"I've told you before, it is not my job to harvest the food," Nightmare replied. "It's Shining Armor and his party's job."

"Yeah, well we talked to Shining Armor and his party, and they won't give us any chow," Gilda retorted.

"Oh…eat Archibald."

"Oh, no!" Archibald exclaimed. "You don't want ME! I'm so very tough and gammy and…BLECH!"

"Oh, now Archibald, don't be ridiculous," Nightmare told the quivering asparagus. "All you'd need is a little hollandaise sauce, and maybe some…"

"Sheesh, and I thought our lives were lousy under Celestia," Gilda muttered to Discord.

"What did you say?" Nightmare demanded, turning to face them.

"I said…uh…Nightmare is the best-ia?" Gilda repeated, grinning.

"GOOD. Now get out."

"Yeah, but we're still hungry," Gilda replied.

"OUT!" The trio ran out of the throne room.

Nightmare groaned as she sat on her throne. "Oh, Archibald, why am I not loved? What did my sister have that I do not have?"

"You want the LONG list, or the SHORT?" Archibald asked snarkily.

Nightmare glared at him. "Whatever."

"Well, for starters, Celestia had the respect and loyalty of the ponies of Equestria…"

"Mm-hm."

"…she had a loving family…"

"Uh-huh."

"…she had a devoted consort…"

Nightmare gasped. "That's it! That's what I need!"

"What?"

"A consort, man, a consort! Alone, I'm but a one-pony lineage doomed to shrivel up and die! With a consort, I'll have foals! Immortality shall be mine! But who is worthy to be consort to the queen?"

Just then, there was another call of "Nightmare!" But it wasn't Gilda. It was…

"Ah, Shining Armor," Nightmare greeted the young unicorn as he came into her throne room. "Your timing could not have been more perfect, my dear boy. My, you've grown so very handsomely."

"Nightmare, I have to talk to you," Shining spoke up. "My party and I are being forced to overharvest the land! Everything is dying! If we don't change things around here, we're all going to die along with the land!"

Nightmare smiled slyly as she approached the unicorn. "Oh come now, Shining, let's not discuss such depressing matters. Let us discuss some more…INTIMATE ideas." She brushed her mane against his face.

"What are you doing?" Shining demanded.

"So, how many foals do you think we should have?" Nightmare asked.

"You're insane!" Shining yelled. "Get away from me!"

"Now, now, Shining…"

ZAP! Shining knocked Nightmare back with a magic bolt. The alicorn shook her head and got up. "Oh, Shining, you know how I DETEST violence. One way or another, you shall be mine."

"Never, Nightmare!" Shining rejected. "I'd sooner DIE than be your consort!"

Nightmare made a pouty face, then shrugged. "Very well, if that is your decision. Then I have no choice but to banish you from Canterlot."

"BANISH me?" Shining repeated in disbelief. "For WHAT?"

"Attacking the queen, for starters," Nightmare growled. "Now go, you impudent little foal, before I change my mind and order you executed instead and have your entrails hung in my trophy room!" Shining frowned, but galloped out of the castle, where he was greeted by Twilight and five other ponies.

"Did you talk to Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked.

"Is she gonna stop makin' us overharvest the land?" Applejack, an orange earth pony with a yellow mane and tail tied with red bands, green eyes, freckles, a cutie mark of three red apples and a cowboy hat asked.

"Is she gonna let us throw parties again?" Pinkie Pie, a pink earth pony with a curly dark pink mane and tail, light blue eyes and a cutie mark of three balloons asked.

Shining sighed. "I've…been banished from Canterlot."

The others gasped. "BANISHED?" Fluttershy, a yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail, blue-green eyes and a cutie mark of three pink-winged butterflies repeated.

"She can't do that!" Rainbow Dash, a light blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail, magenta eyes and a cutie mark of a cloud and a tri-colored lightning bolt screamed.

"Technically, Rainbow darling, she can," Rarity, a white unicorn with a coiffed purple mane and tail, blue eyes and a cutie mark of three diamonds reminded her. "She IS queen."

"I won't let her do this to you!" Twilight refused. "I'm going to go in there and tell Nightmare off!"

"It won't do any good, Twilie," Shining told her. "She'll just banish you, too. I need you girls to stay strong for me. I'm going to go find help and send it back. Maybe there's SOMEPONY out there who can help us."

* * *

"BURP!"

"Ooh, nice one, Cadance," Bob told the young alicorn. The trio was lying on their backs in the grass, looking up at the sky.

"Thanks, Bob," Cadance replied. "Whew! Man, I'm stuffed!"

"Me, too!" Larry agreed. "I ate like a pig today."

"Such is the joy of the Hakuna Matata lifestyle, my friend," Bob responded. "You can eat as much as you want, and no one will judge you."

The trio watched the night sky in silence. "Hey, Bob?"

"Yes, Larry?"

"What do you think those big, sparkly dots are?"

"Easy, they're fireflies that got stuck up in the sky."

"Oh. I always thought that they were big balls of gas burning billions of miles away." Larry paused. "How 'bout YOU, Cadance? What do YOU think?"

"Well…I dunno," Cadance replied.

"Aw, c'mon, tell us, please?" Larry pleaded.

"Well…OK." Cadance sighed. "Somepony once told me that the great kings and queens of the past are up there, watching over us."

"REALLY?" Larry asked.

"You mean a bunch of royal dead ponies are up there watching us?" Bob asked. He started laughing, making Larry start. "OK, who told you THAT? What goofball made THAT malarkey up?"

Cadance chuckled. "Yeah, I know, pretty dumb stuff, huh?" She sighed as she got to her hooves. "I'm, uh…gonna go take a walk." She trotted off.

"Was it something I said?" Bob asked the confused cucumber.

Cadance looked up at the sky as she walked. She moaned as she lay herself down in the soft grass in front of a small lake. "What are you supposed to say when "Hakuna Matata" doesn't work?" As she lay down, she knocked loose some pollen from the plants.

* * *

The pollen flew through the air for miles. Just then, it was grabbed in a small sack by Zecora, who took it back to her hut. She poured the pollen into a bowl and mixed it with some herbs, then dumped it into a cauldron of water. The water showed her a vision.

"Cadance?" Zecora recognized. "She is alive? Oh however did she survive? It doesn't matter, for it is sublime. And all that matters is that it is time."

**Wow, Nightmare is one crazy bee-yatch, huh? And yes, I took this from the scene from the stage play of "The Lion King..." I have yet to see it, but I want to desperately!**

**Next chapter, Cadance and Shining Armor reunite. What will go down? Stay tuned, y'all!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess. **


	9. Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

**Hey, everyone! Sorry about the delay in updating...I've been pretty busy. Oh well, here's the next chapter of "The Alicorn Queen."**

The next day, Bob and Larry were taking a walk through the jungle, singing a song. As they did, Larry spotted something in the corner of his eye…a piece of candy. "Ooh, yummy!" He hopped after it, ignoring Bob, who was still singing.

"I can't hear you, Larry, back me up!" the tomato spoke up. He turned around to notice that the cucumber was missing. "Uh, Larry? Larry?"

Larry hopped off after the candy. "Get back here, you!" he told it. Finally, the candy stopped moving. "Gotcha!" He grabbed it. "Mr. Candy, you've got an appointment in my tummy." He unwrapped the candy and ate it. Little did he realize that as he ate, the unicorn stallion who had been levitating the candy was nearby, getting ready to pounce.

Just then, Larry noticed the unicorn and screamed. He hopped off as fast as he could, with the stallion chasing after him. As he ran, Larry got stuck in a small opening in a tree root. Bob found him wedged there, trying to squeeze out. "Larry! What's going on?"

"HE'S GONNA EAT ME!" Larry yelled.

"Who?" Bob looked over to see the stallion. "Oh man!" He tried to help dislodge the cucumber. "Ugh, Larry, why do I always have to save your…AAAAAAUGH!" The tomato screamed as the stallion galloped up to them, preparing to take a bite out of them…

Just then, Cadance swooped in, knocking over the stallion. The two ponies started a huge brawl. Bob smiled as he watched the fight. "Don't worry, Larry, everything's gonna be fine. Get him, girl! Bite his head off! Go for the jugular!" He grinned. "I KNEW having her around would be great!"

As they fought, the stallion knocked Cadance down and pinned himself on top of her. Cadance gasped. "Shining? Shining Armor?" The unicorn gasped and got off of her, staggering back. "Is it really you, Shining?"

"Who…who ARE you?" Shining asked.

"Shining, it's me, Cadance," Cadance replied.

Shining gasped. "CADANCE?" He hollered happily and hugged her. "How did you…I mean…it's great to see you!"

"It's great to see you, too!" Cadance replied. "What're you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What're YOU doing here?"

"Would someone PLEASE tell me what is going on here?" Bob asked.

"Bob, this is Shining Armor, my best friend!" Cadance introduced him.

"Your FRIEND?"

"Yes. Larry, come over here!" Larry unwedged himself from the hole and went over. "Larry, this is Shining Armor. Shining, Larry."

"Pleased to meet you," Larry spoke up.

"The pleasure's all mine," Shining responded.

"Nice to meet you," Bob replied. "Hang on, hang on, time out! Let me get this straight…you know him, he knows you, but HE wants to eat LARRY, and everyone is OK with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING HERE?!"

"Whoa, Bob, relax," Cadance told him.

"It's incredible!" Shining spoke up. "I can't believe you're here! What will everypony in Canterlot think?"

"No, Shining, nopony needs to know I'm here," Cadance replied.

"Of course they do, everypony thinks you're dead!" Shining responded.

Cadance's eyes widened. "They DO?"

"Yeah…Nightmare told us about the buffalo stampede."

Cadance felt her heart sink. "She DID? What else did she tell you?"

"What else matters? You're alive!" Shining gasped. "And that means you're the queen!"

"QUEEN?!" Bob scoffed. "Buddy, have you got your ponies crossed!"

"The QUEEN!" Larry bowed and started kissing Cadance's hooves. "Your Majesty, I gravel at your feet!" Cadance pulled back uncomfortably.

"Larry, it's GROVEL, not GRAVEL," Bob corrected the cucumber. "And don't, she's not the queen…" He paused. "ARE you?"

"No!" Cadance lied.

"CADANCE!"

"No, I am not the queen!" Cadance refused. "Maybe I was GOING to be, but that was a long time ago!"

"Wait, you're a QUEEN, and you never TOLD us?" Bob asked.

"Hey, I'm still the same mare," Cadance replied.

"Yeah, but you've got POWER!"

Shining chuckled. "Could you guys excuse us for a few minutes, please?"

"Hey, anything he has to say, he can say in front of us," Bob responded. "Right, Cadance?"

Cadance hummed. "Maybe you guys better go."

Bob frowned. "It starts. You think you know a pony." He hopped off. "C'mon, Larry, I can tell when we're not wanted." Larry blinked confusedly, but followed the tomato.

Cadance shook her head and laughed. "Bob and Larry…you learn to love them." She noticed that Shining had his back turned to her, his head hanging down, frowning sadly. "What? What is it?"

"It's like you're back from the dead," Shining replied shakily. "You don't know what this would mean to everypony…" He looked up at her, tears glistening in his eyes. "What it means to ME."

"Hey, it's OK, you don't have to cry," Cadance told him.

Shining sniffed. "I'm not crying…it's just liquid pride." He smiled and nuzzled her head. "I've really missed you all these years, Cadance."

"I've really missed you, too, Shining," Cadance replied. The two walked off together to have a romantic evening.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bob and Larry were watching from the shadows. Larry was confused, and Bob was disgusted. "Man, Larry, this really stinks!"

Larry blushed. "Sorry, I haven't taken a bath for a while."

"Not YOU! THEM!" Bob practically yelled. "Him…her…alone."

"What's wrong with THAT?" Larry asked.

"Don't you get it, Larry?" Bob asked. "They're going to fall in love, and then Cadance will leave us behind to go be with Lover Colt here, and the Hakuna Matata Trio will be down to a duo again."

"OH."

"Whenever love is in the air, Lar, disaster's soon to follow," Bob sighed. He started to tear up. "Basically, our little Cady is doomed."

Larry started crying. "Poor Cadance!" Both veggies started crying hysterically.

"Hold me, Bob!"

"I would if I could, man!"

**And here's where I'd do a parody of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" if I were allowed...but I'm not. Sucks, too, because I really love that song. Oh well. **

**LOL, Bob and Larry...BTW, their last dialogue lines are from an actual "Veggie Tales" episode..."Madame Blueberry," to be precise. **

**Next chapter, Cadance meets up with Zecora and is persuaded to go back to Canterlot and face the past. **

**Thanks for holding on there, y'all!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	10. The Return of the Queen

**Hello, everyone! Thank you for being so patient with me...just got back from spring break, and I've got the next chapter all set! Enjoy!**

Cadance and Shining trotted together by the waterfall. "Isn't this place amazing, Shining?" Cadance asked.

"Yes, it's very beautiful," Shining replied. "But I don't get something…you've been alive this whole time…why haven't you ever come back?"

"Oh, well…I needed to get out, find my own life," Cadance lied as she jumped into a makeshift hammock. "And I did. And it's great."

"We've really needed you back home," Shining told her.

"No you don't, what could I do?" Cadance asked. "Besides, I'm not the queen, Nightmare is."

Shining frowned. "Cadance, Nightmare let Discord and his gang have free range of Canterlot."

"WHAT?!"

"They've run amok. Everything's destroyed. There's no food and no water. Cadance, if you don't do something, everypony's going to starve!"

"Well I…" Cadance frowned. "No, I can't go back."

"Why not?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand? All I know is that we need you!"

Cadance shook her head. "No, no, Hakuna Matata."

"WHAT?"

"Hakuna Matata. It's something I've learned here. Look, bad stuff happens, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Shining frowned angrily. "What happened to you? You're not the Cadance I remember!"

"You're right, I'm not," Cadance agreed bitterly. "Are you satisfied?"

"No, just disappointed."

Cadance smirked. "You know, you're starting to sound like my mother."

"Good," Shining muttered. "At least ONE of us does!"

Cadance growled angrily. "You think you can just gallop in here and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!"

"I would if you would just tell me!" Shining replied.

"Forget it!" Cadance flew off.

"FINE!" Shining stormed off.

* * *

Cadance landed in a field and paced back and forth angrily. "He's wrong. I can never go back. What would it prove anyway? You can't change the past." She glared up at the stars. "You said you'd always be there for me!" She hung her head. "But you're NOT! And it's because of me!" She started to cry. "It's my fault…it's all my fault!"

As Cadance cried, she heard a female voice chanting something in some sort of unusual tongue. She looked over and saw a zebra, balancing on her head on a staff, and chanting. Cadance rolled her eyes and walked away. Zecora chuckled to herself as she watched the young alicorn walk.

After a bit, Cadance collapsed sadly. As she did, she heard Zecora, still chanting. "Ugh…oh come on, would you cut that out?"

"Don't be silly, my young friend, if I cut it out, it will grow back again," Zecora replied cheerfully.

"Creepy zebra," Cadance mumbled. She noticed that Zecora was trotting right behind her. "Would you PLEASE stop following me? Who ARE you, anyway?"

"The better question to pursue is who are YOU?" Zecora asked.

Cadance sighed. "I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure."

"Well I know, isn't that swell? It's a secret, so quietly I tell." Zecora whispered the same Swahili chant to the alicorn.

"WOULD YOU QUIT SAYING THAT?!" Cadance shouted. "What does that even MEAN, anyway?"

"The saying's meaning is clear as the sky. It means you are a silly zebra, and not I."

Cadance eyed her oddly. "I think you're a bit confused."

"I am not confused, my little star. For you do not know who you are."

"Oh, and I suppose YOU do?" Cadance asked amusedly.

"I sure do, don't be silly. You are Celestia's filly."

Cadance gasped and turned to see Zecora, who was starting to gallop off. "Wait! No! Please, come back!" She followed the zebra to a rock, where she was in a meditation pose. "You knew my mother?"

"Ah, a question like no other. But the correct form is, I KNOW your mother."

Cadance frowned sadly. "I hate to tell you this, but…she died. A long time ago."

Zecora laughed. "Wrong again! She is alive. I shall show you how she thrives." She galloped off into a nearby woods. Cadance tried to follow quickly. "Hurry up! No delay! Follow old Zecora, she knows the way."

"I'm trying! Could you slow down!" Cadance huffed and puffed as she ran. "Wow, I need to lay off the chocolate-covered strawberries for a while!" She ran until Zecora halted and held up a hoof. "STOP! We are here." She led her to a grassy area surrounding a small pool. "Look in, the answer will be clear."

Cadance blinked and peered into the pool. However, all she saw was herself. "That's not my mother…it's just my reflection."

Zecora chuckled. "I see you have little trust. To find your mother, look harder you must." Cadance obeyed. As she did, she began to see traces of her mother. "My words are quite true. For you see, she lives in you."

Suddenly, there was a quiet voice coming from above. "Cadance…"

Cadance gasped and looked up. "Mother?"

A vision of Celestia appeared in the heavens. "Cadance, you have forgotten me."

"No! Never! How could I ever forget you?"

"You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me," Celestia replied. "Look inside yourself, Cadance. You are more than what you have become."

"How can I go back?" Cadance asked. "I'm not the same as I used to be."

"Remember who you are," Celestia responded. "You are my daughter, and the one true queen." As her daughter watched, Celestia's voice and face became fainter and softer. "Remember…"

"No, please! Don't leave me!"

"Remember…"

"MOTHER!"

"Remember…"

"Don't go." And with that, as quickly as she had appeared, the vision of Queen Celestia was gone.

Zecora came back. "What was THAT? The weather is completely bats!"

"Yeah," Cadance agreed. "I think the winds must be changing."

"Ah, how exciting. Change is a very good thing."

"Yeah, but it isn't easy," Cadance sighed. "I know what I have to do, but going back, I'll have to face my past. I've been running from it for so long…" Suddenly, Zecora whacked Cadance on the head with her staff. "OW! Geez! What was THAT for?!"

"Doesn't matter, it's in the past!" Zecora laughed. "Oh, and what a blast!"

"Well, it may be in the past, but it still hurts!" Cadance replied. She rubbed her head to make sure that the zebra hadn't broken anything.

"Ah yes, the past can hurt, and push you around in the dirt. But as I see it, when it's your turn, you can either run from it, or learn." Zecora swung her staff at Cadance, who this time ducked. "You see? So what are you going to do?"

"Well first, I'm going to take your staff!" Cadance used her magic to throw the staff away. Zecora chased after it and turned to see Cadance running. "Hey, you! Where are you off to?"

"I'm going back!" Cadance called.

"Good! Go on, shoo! This area does not need you!" Zecora laughed.

* * *

The next morning, Bob and Larry were huddled together, sleeping. As they snoozed, Shining approached them. "Hey! Wake up!" Bob yawned and opened his eyes...to see a unicorn staring back at him. He screamed, waking up Larry, who automatically screamed as well.

"It's OK, it's OK, it's just me, Shining Armor," Shining told them. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you guys."

Bob gasped. "Don't EVER do that again! Ponies...ay carumba!"

"Have you guys seen Cadance?"

"Isn't she with you?" Larry asked.

"She WAS, but she left," Shining replied. "Now I can't find her anywhere!"

There was laughing from the bushes. They turned to see Zecora. "She's not here. Have you not learned? I am here to tell you; the Queen has returned."

Shining smiled. "I can't believe it! Cadance has gone back!"

"What?" Bob asked. "What the heck is going on here? Who's the zebra?" He looked over at the bushes, from which Zecora had disappeared.

"Cadance has gone back to challenge Nightmare," Shining explained.

"What?" Bob asked.

"Nightmare."

"Who had a nightmare?" Larry asked.

"No, no, no, it's her aunt."

"The zebra is her aunt?" Bob asked in confusion.

"NO!" Shining yelled. "Cadance has gone back to Canterlot to challenge her aunt and take her rightful place as Queen of Equestria!"

Bob and Larry looked at each other. "OH."

**Woo-hoo! Cadance is going back! **

**Yup, this is why I don't use Zecora a lot in my stories, despite how awesome I think she is and how much I love her...rhyming everything is a pain in the flank! Cora, I don't know how you do it!**

**Next chapter, Cadance goes back to Canterlot to challenge Nightmare Moon. Ooh, exciting!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


	11. Confronting the Nightmare

**Howdy, y'all! Hope you're ready for a new chapter of "The Alicorn Queen"...because I've got one for you!**

Cadance flew over miles of land. She peered down and gasped once she came to Canterlot. She landed on the outskirts of the city. All plant life was withered and brown. Buildings were vacated and empty. Many ponies had left the city in order to find work and food in one of the smaller towns in Equestria. Cadance frowned angrily as she looked at her home.

"Cadance!" she heard a voice call to her. The alicorn turned to see Shining approaching her. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"I didn't want to believe you," Cadance sighed. "It's even worse than how I had imagined it!"

"What made you decide to come back?" Shining asked.

"I finally got some sense knocked into me," Cadance replied. She rubbed her head. "And I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I will," Shining volunteered.

"It's going to be dangerous," Cadance warned him.

"Danger? HA!" Shining scoffed playfully, like when they were foals. "I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. HA HA HA HA!"

"I don't see anything funny about this place." The two ponies looked to see the two vegetables approaching them.

Cadance smiled. "Bob! Larry! I can't believe it. You're here!"

"At your service, m'lady," Larry replied, bowing a little.

"Ugh," Bob looked over the scene. "We're going to fight your aunt for THIS?"

"Yes, Bob," Cadance responded. "This is my home."

"Talk about a fixer-upper," Bob groaned. "Well Cady, if it's important to you, then we're with you to the end."

* * *

The quartet snuck into the city and up to the palace, where a large pack of Diamond Dogs was guarding, gnawing on the dry bones of those who did not make it through the years.

Bob shuddered. "Diamond Dogs. I hate Diamond Dogs." He leaned over to Cadance and whispered "So what's your plan for getting past these guys?"

"Live bait," Cadance responded.

"Good idea." Bob then realized what that meant. "HEY!"

"Come on, Bob, you and Larry gotta distract them," Cadance urged.

"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"

* * *

A few minutes later, that's exactly what Bob did. He dressed in a grass skirt and a flower lei, dancing around Larry, who was lying on a makeshift plate, an apple in his mouth, like a barbecued luau pig. The Diamond Dogs drooled and wandered over to the performance area, while Cadance and Shining snuck into the palace.

Once inside, the two ponies made their way into the throne room, where a large amount of ponies was gathered. They blended into the crowd. "Shining, you rally some of your best fighters. I'll handle Nightmare."

* * *

As Cadance snuck closer to the throne, Nightmare began to bellow. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" Cadance gasped as she watched the young purple unicorn, no longer the little filly she remembered, trot over to the throne, her head held high.

"Yes, Nightmare?" Twilight asked.

"Where is your party? They're not doing their job of gathering food!" Nightmare barked.

"Nightmare, there is no food or water," Twilight answered coolly.

"No! You're just not looking hard enough!"

"It's over, Nightmare. There is nothing left!" Twilight sighed. "We only have one choice; we have to leave Canterlot."

"We're not going anywhere!" Nightmare refused.

"Then you have sentenced us all to death!"

"So be it!"

"You can't do that!"

"I am the queen, I can do whatever I want!"

"If you were half the queen Celestia was, you'd…"

Nightmare interupted by knocking Twilight over with a blast of magic. "I am TEN TIMES the queen Celestia was!"

Cadance frowned furiously. How dare Nightmare strike her favorite filly! She ran out of hiding, swooping down. Nightmare gasped as she saw the light. "Oh my word! It's a ghost!"

Cadance went over to Twilight and nuzzled her. Twilight moaned. "Who…who are you?"

"Twilight, it's me."

Twilight gasped and smiled. "Cadance? You're alive? How is that possible?"

"It doesn't matter, Twilie. I'm home now," Cadance replied. The two hugged.

"Cadance?" Nightmare asked in shock. She chuckled. "Cadance. I must say I am a bit surprised to see you…ALIVE." She glared over at Discord and his gang, who all gulped and hid in the shadows.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart right now," Cadance growled.

"Cadance, please, my dear, you must try to understand," Nightmare replied. "The pressures of ruling a kingdom…"

"Are no longer yours," Cadance finished. "Step down, Nightmare."

"Oh, believe me, darling, I would, but there is a slight problem. See them?" She motioned over to Discord and his gang. "They think that I'M queen."

"Well WE don't," came a voice. Shining came up to the scene, along with the gang of five. Applejack and Fluttershy helped Twilight back onto her hooves.

"Cadance is the rightful queen," Shining continued.

"It's your choice, Nightmare," Cadance told her aunt. "Either step down or fight."

"Must this all end in violence? I would HATE to be the cause of the death of a family member, wouldn't you, Cadance?" Nightmare grinned.

"That isn't going to work, Nightmare," Cadance replied gruffly. "I've put it behind me."

"Ah, but how about your loyal subjects? Have they put it behind them?" Nightmare asked.

"What in tarnation is this varmint talkin' about?" Applejack asked.

"I dunno, maybe it's some sort of weirdo queen riddle," Pinkie replied.

"Ah, so you HAVEN'T told them your little secret," Nightmare laughed. "Well Cadance, now's your chance to tell them who's REALLY responsible for Celestia's death."

The ponies gasped and looked over at Cadance, who had her head hung in shame. "I am," she admitted.

Fluttershy went up to her. "It's not true. Please say it's not true."

"I'm afraid it's true, Fluttershy," Cadance replied.

"You see? She admits it!" Nightmare bellowed. "Murderess!"

"No, it was an accident! I'm not a murderess!"

"If it weren't for you, Celestia would still be alive. Do you deny it?" Nightmare asked.

"No."

"Then you are GUILTY!" As Nightmare spoke, Diamond Dogs circled around her, blocking Cadance from her friends so they couldn't help her.

"Lemme at 'em!" Rainbow yelled, trying to fly off and help Cadance. She was held back by Applejack.

"It ain't gonna do any good, RD, there's too many of the critters," Applejack replied.

"But we gotta help Cadance!" Rainbow replied.

* * *

As they tried to help, Nightmare had Cadance on the edge of a balcony. "Oh Cady, it looks like you're in trouble again. Only this time, Mommy isn't here to save you. And now everypony knows why!" Cadance slipped off the balcony and was dangling off.

"CADANCE!" Shining and Twilight yelled at the same time.

Cadance tried to get back onto her hooves. "Now where have I seen this before?" Nightmare asked. "Oh that's right, I remember. This is exactly how your mother looked before she died." Nightmare grabbed hold of Cadance's hooves, preparing to push her over to her doom. "And now here's MY little secret…I killed Celestia."

Cadance gasped. All those years, she had been carrying the guilt of her mother's blood on her hooves, when really she was completely innocent. The young alicorn screamed "NOOOOOOOO!" and leapt onto her aunt, pinning her down. "MURDERESS!"

The ponies gasped as they watched the scene. "Cadance, dear, please, let's calm down," Nightmare replied.

"Tell them the truth," Cadance threatened.

"The truth?" Nightmare laughed. "Oh my dear, the truth is in the eye of the…" Cadance pressed a hoof on her throat, choking her. "All right. All right! I did it!"

"So they can hear you."

Nightmare frowned and admitted her dirty little secret to all of Canterlot, starting the war to end all wars.

"I killed Celestia!"

**Dun dun duuuuuuun!**

**LOL, Bob and Larry's hula. I would so love to see a pic of that. Unfortunately, I cannot draw. Darn it!**

**Yeah, I was always a little miffed at this part that the lionesses didn't try to help Simba when Scar was doing his whole "you're guilty of your father's death so Imma kill you, bitch" spiel, but then I realized that the hyenas had him surrounded. Chances are they couldn't do much to help. So I incorporated that into the story. Hope that works OK.**

**Next chap, we get into the big battle. Hold on to your hooves!**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess**


	12. Cadance vs Nightmare

**MORTAL KOMBAT! Sorry, I've always wanted to say that. Anyway, big battle scene here, folks! WOOT!**

"I killed Celestia!"

Upon hearing those words, the ponies charged on Nightmare and her minions. They fought them off valiantly.

Applejack bucked two Diamond Dogs at once. "HA! Take THAT, ya varmints!" As she did, a third dog snuck up on her.

"AJ! Behind you!" Pinkie yelled. She took out her party cannon and blasted the dog away.

Applejack smiled. "Thanks, Pinkie!"

"Anytime!"

Twilight blasted several dogs away, but a few tried to get at her. As they did, Bob and Larry charged through. "Excuse me, pardon me, coming through, one side!" They knocked over the dogs.

"Yay, Bowling for Diamond Dogs!" Larry cheered.

Fluttershy shuddered and ducked an incoming dog, who smacked into another dog.

Rainbow plowed through many dogs.

Rarity was cornered, but the dogs were beaten back by Zecora, who smacked them with her staff and kicked like a karate master.

* * *

The battle waged on as pony and Diamond Dog fought. At one point, Discord and his gang were chasing Bob. The tomato screamed and ran down into the dungeon, where Archibald was locked in a small cage. "Let me out, let me out!" the asparagus urged.

"Let me in, let me in!" Bob yelled, running into a vacant cage and shutting the door behind him. Discord and his gang drooled at the tomato. "Please don't eat me."

"Is there a problem?" a voice asked. Larry stood valiantly at the entrance to the dungeon.

"Hey, what's with the pickle?" Gilda asked.

"Are you talking to me?" Larry asked grimly.

"Uh-oh, she called him a pickle," Bob realized.

"Are you talking to ME?"

"She shouldn't have done that."

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!"

"Now they're in for it."

"I AM NOT A PICKLE, I'M A CUCUMBER!" Larry hollered as he charged the gang, beating them up. The three predators ran like crazy.

"WOO! YEAH! RUN YOU YELLOW BELLIES!" Larry whooped as they ran.

Bob got out of his cage. "Nicely done, Lar." Once out, they burst Archibald's cage open. "Thank you, my friends."

"No problem," Larry replied. "Us veggies gotta stick together."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the throne room, Nightmare tried to slip away undetected. Cadance noticed this and ran after her, leading them both to the highest part of the rooftop. Nightmare gasped as she realized that she was cornered.

Cadance crept closer to her. "MURDERESS."

"Cadance, please, please don't do this," Nightmare pleaded.

"You don't deserve to live," Cadance replied coldly.

"But Cadance, I am family," Nightmare replied. She looked over to see Discord, Gilda and Ed. "It was Discord's idea! Him and his gang! They're the REAL enemy here!" The three predators growled and slunk away angrily.

"Why should I believe you?" Cadance asked. "Everything you ever told me is a lie!"

Nightmare panicked. "What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your own aunt, would you?"

Cadance narrowed her eyes. "No, Nightmare. I'm not like you."

Nightmare heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh THANK you, Cadance. Thank you. I promise, anything you want me to do to make it up to you, I'll do it. Anything at all."

"Run," Cadance replied. "Run away, Nightmare. Run far away, and never return."

Nightmare blinked. Those words…those exact words she had said to Cadance right after Celestia's death to get rid of her, and afterwards she had sicked Discord and his gang on her…could Cadance be planning to sic her minions on her once she ran?

"Yes…of course." The black alicorn began to slink away. "Anything you wish…Your Majesty." She kicked a ball of dust into Cadance's eyes, temporarily blinding her. As Cadance was distracted, Nightmare leapt onto her.

Aunt and niece fought viciously on the palace rooftop. It was a very close battle. At points, Cadance would overpower Nightmare, and at others, Nightmare would come out on top. But then, Nightmare blasted Cadance onto her back and leapt, preparing to gut her. Cadance frowned and pushed her aunt off of her with her back legs, throwing her over the edge of the roof. Nightmare screamed and fell to the ground below.

* * *

After a minute, Cadance peered over the edge of the roof to see Nightmare lying there, apparently dead. Just then, the black alicorn stirred, dazed. She got back onto her hooves. She groaned. Her wings were bent the other way, and her horn had been smashed into pieces. She had no flight and no magic.

Just then, she heard creatures approaching. It was Discord and his gang. Nightmare smiled with relief. "Ah, my friends."

Discord smirked and chuckled. "Friends? I thought she said that we were the enemy."

"Yeah, that's what I heard," Gilda agreed. Nightmare's eyes widened with fright.

"Ed?" Discord and Gilda asked in unison. Ed simply chuckled maniacally and licked his lips. The three very hungry predators circled around the helpless alicorn, preparing for the kill.

Nightmare gasped as they surrounded her, pleading with them. "No! No! You don't understand! No, I didn't mean…NO!" Ed leapt at her throat, silencing her screams and pleading.

Cadance watched from up above as the predators tore her aunt to shreds. She shuddered and hung her head sadly. "Goodbye, Auntie."

**Aww, poor Cadance. Oh come on, if you had just watched a member of your family get torn to shreds by a draconequus, a griffon and a Diamond Dog, I don't care how horrible that family member was, you'd still get sad!**

**OK, is it just me, or is the fight scene between Simba and Scar pretty much the most epic and dangerous final battle in all of Disney film history? Then again, I often tend to lean more towards Basil vs. Ratigan from "The Great Mouse Detective" in terms of bloodshed, but Simba vs. Scar was a bit more evenly matched, so there you go. **

**Yeah, as those of you who watch Veggie Tales know, Larry does NOT like being called a pickle...granted, he never gets nearly as violent on the show as here, but still, you can tell he's pretty peeved whenever someone calls him a pickle. **

**Next chapter is the last one, showing how Cadance is coronated and rules. **

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess. **


	13. Long Live the Queen

**Well here it is...the final chapter of "The Alicorn Queen." Enjoy!**

Once Nightmare Moon was dead, a soothing rain began to fall over the land. Cadance smiled as she peered up at the sky. It was as if nature was washing away the cruelty and dismay of Nightmare's reign to make way for hers.

Cadance made her way back into the throne room, where everypony was waiting for her. Shining and Twilight both ran up to her and hugged her. "Oh, Cadance, I'm so glad you're all right," Twilight told her.

"I'm fine. What about you all?"

"We're fine, just a bit busted up," Applejack replied.

Cadance smiled. "I'm glad."

Just then, Zecora walked up to Cadance and bowed her head to her. Cadance smiled and hugged the zebra. Once they let go, Zecora smiled. "It is time."

Cadance nodded and solemnly walked down through the crowd of reverent ponies to the throne. She stood on the platform. As she did, a beam of sunlight peering through a cloud shone on her. "Remember…" Celestia's voice rang through her ear.

"Ponies of Equestria," Cadance began. "I, Mi Amore Cadenza, hereby promise to rule over our land with a fair and just hoof. For I know, that if we work together, we can bring life and peace back to our city."

The ponies cheered. As they did, Zecora placed Celestia's crown on Cadance's head. "Long live Queen Mi Amore Cadenza!"

"Long live the queen! Long live the queen!" the ponies chanted. They all bowed. Cadance smiled. She had finally found her place in the Circle of Life.

* * *

Eleven months later, the city was green and lush again. Ponies had returned to their homes. Everything was fine.

And now, the ponies gathered back at the palace. For now, they were celebrating the christening of Valentina, the newborn daughter of Queen Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Consort Shining Armor. As Zecora lifted the filly for all to see, the sun shone on her. The next in line in the Circle of Life.

**The Circle of Life...man I love that song!**

**Aww, Cadance and Shining had a baby! When are they gonna have one on the show, LOL?**

**Thank you for reading. Next up, a "Lady and the Tramp" parody.**

**All my best, DiscordantPrincess.**


End file.
